Cigarette dispenser



Feb.; 10, A, Fl M|ELKE CIGARETTE DISPENSER Filed Feb. 4, 1946 Patented Feb. 10, 1948 f ist-Aires ,fiexrfENT 2,435,793

.- ICIGARETTEDISPENSER UArthu" Mielke,-Bi1rb.nk`,lCalif. Application f-February 11p-1946,-` SerialNos-645g259 G'Claims. (01.312-183) 3, 1 2 Il1Ths1inventionf.relates.to,,Cigarettedispensers. echtime `thebottoni is depressedxa'nd returned QlThe invention. is, applicableeither to afdispenser toits closed position, in rdertoassure the2 feed- ...having astandior use on adesk on,ta,b1e, or a, '.ingf thecigarettesto. the II dischargeaperture dispensenattachablezto1aninterior vertical surand avodlclogging ofthe hopper. M.face of amotonvehicle. It isiparticularly useful. 5 A vfulItllelflcbl2015.0f, the nVIltOl isaplllide `=vzinthe.latter type.ofdispenserysir1cet caribe opaldispenserhaving a. spring .mechanism wlich, ,.'erated 4by.f one hand., nAccordingly,one. ofiA .the 1in4 vaddition .tolthewfunctions vmentioned above, ,important objectsothe invention is lto provide a servesto v.retainthe kbottom lofthe.. chopper.. in l cigarette .dispenser .that I.can-Lbs.' operatedfbyvv one assembled relation. to 4the .W'alls of the. hopperfl iIn ,nhand. ..10. this respect, the .inventioneontemplates adis- ,Theiinvention is directedfpa-rticularly to a hop- .penser inl which ,the vertical 4walls of ithe. hopper iper.s typefrdispenser ,--havingi a. movable;==bottom `may, be formedintegrallyi of,:for exampleunolded wadaptedztoabe shi-itedzdownwardlyfto .permit-a sin-` L yplastic,..and in which thebottom is., formed. sep- ;-ngleicgarette ,-to=.-issue -frorn1:'the-.,hopper. This arately .and ,has ,projectingnfhing'ed .trunnions bottom is provided with a receiver extending-fon.,A `.adapted to .cooperate .with theiside. ,Walls oi"l the wardlyf ;t-he.ior-ward-.wa1l.= of ithezhopperto rehopperto form ahingemSince" .theverticalwalls s ceivea cigarette as itlissues-irom the hopper, and ofthe hopper areformedin one piece, it isnecesto hold it; in al..position,inf which it may` readily saryvthat .thehinge socketsin Vwhich. the trunef-beipicked-up This-receiver; is'extended to .pro- -nions are received, bepen on onesideto permit vide a handle'lwhicl'r theperator lmayr` engage 20-the assembly of the trunnionsinto.these..sockets. -with'hisnger in orderft'o depressfthe hcpperbot- Thespring-mechanism When appliedv to theboty, tom...r0ne.offithekobjects ofxthexinventiorr isfto tom, exerts spring-.pressurein adirectiontohld pzprovidez. a =dispenser having aazbottorn :which: is the; trunnions in engagement. .withthesefopen mformedwith aiigarette receiver .and =with a, hansocketsyand 1preventsthe trunnfions` 4from-being ,lzfdleiwhichzprojects sofastoapermittheoperatorsdislodged from; the` socketsundenordinarvcirs fingerttoiexent pressure-againstthe.bottomfwithf Leumstances. minutinterferingffwithiathen movement;r of :ithes ciga- ..Another yobject of ,the invention, is to .provide rette into the receiver. a 4cigarette, dispeneerincluding` a. hopper-mech- .z'llihe:inventiomcontemplates atdispenser having anism which. isadapted.-to-be-,appldneither. to

aehepperi'adapfedltnihold ain-umher of.;cigarettes .30 a' stand or-l Lto a-.suctioni,curbor.suctioncups,.by i .(e.' gerani entirezipack) randa tqepermitsronly-tone meansof which itmaybe attached to a Vertical ezcigaretteat altimef;toabeadeliverednf.It is neces- -,.surfacesuch as, for-example, theWindOWmLan to provide .someemea-rrs: for holdingebackithe automobilevor 4.the dash thereof. siiothenzcigarettesduring a1givenfoperation.: It is Another object ofthe invention is tofprovide a iFalsemonsideiedimecessary-:to `:haver,sornefrmeans 35 cigarette. diSpenserhaving-simple means. fonholdi:..foreiemrningi the movablebottomtothe closed -Ting a-.bookef matchesin apositionin VWhichithe position after it has been depressed inzordermo fmatchesmavbedetached.,andlstruckfonly. one deliver,k aiicigarette .One 'of::the;objects; of the handof. the` operator.being-requiredorthis purr'iinvento is tot' provid@A relativelyf. `simple meehpose.

eranismz-ffoniaccomplishingfntheseiifunctions..i This. 40 Otherobiects ofthe invention 'Will-becomeapiszaattainedribynthef:usen oifspring; means which A parent in the ensuing specicatiomtakenin con- ,serve'etheizmultipleifunctiomoffurging the bottom nection with the appended. drawingsin which:

`1.tmvardfitsiclosedzpositioni ofgui'ding the;cigarettes Fig. :1 is a side elevation of va cigarette dispenser fletes-the ejectioniaperturefthat is dened between `embodying my invention; izftheiforwardfwalliotfthe-.hopper and-the movable `i5 Fig. 2 is a frontelevation of :the dispenser;

bottom when/the lattert is depressed,.andfoi1 cut- Fig. 3 is a rear yelevation oftthe. dispenser;

ng: ol thepassageloi allrexcept thebottomcigaJ Fig. 4 is a vertical sectional-view of .thehopper .-rette,flwhenf:.;this.aperture= is;-exposed., Y It is an portionof .the dispenser.takensonthefline 4-4 important object of the invention to provide a of Fig. 1;

gefspring mechanismfhaving thislmultiple function, Fig.. 5 is a vertical sectionalview ofthe hopper i iniorder teme'ducet'the numberfoffparts and-proportion of thtdispenser-.taken on theilin 5--5 @vide afrelatively,simpledevice. ofFig. 4, and;

.fsiAnothenobject is toA provide a dispenser having Fig. 6 is a side elevation of the dispenserkapwsuch a spring-mechanism which has :the afurther i plied to a vertical surface by suctioncups.

.wflmctom ot;a;gitatingfthefcigaretteslin-the hopper-55 As an example of one form in 'which' thesimvention may be embodied, r have shown in the drawings a cigarette dispenser having a hopper provided with forward, rear and side vertical walls I0, II and I2 respectively, and having a bottom I3 that is pivoted to the side walls I2 through the medium of trunnions I4 that are received in open, slot like sockets I5 in the side walls I2. The lower edge of the front wall I0 terminates substantially at the level of the upper` sides of the sockets I5, and the bottom I3, when in its closed position, engages this lower edge of the wall I0.

The spring mechanism for holding the bottom I3 in its closed position comprises a pair of leaf springs I6 each including a tang I'I at one end, confined in a downwardly opening socket I8 in the rear wall I I. The opposite end of each spring is engaged in a depression I9 in the bottom I3, and abuts a ridge or projection 20 extending upwardly from the upper surface of the bottom I3. Between this opposite-end and the tang Il, each spring is bent into the form of a V to provide downwardly and forwardly inclined guide portions 2I, rearwardly extending pressure arms 22, and a separating nose 23. In their normal unstressed state the springs are positioned with the arms 2| and 22 disposed at a greater angle than the acute angle assumed in the assembled dispenser, Consequently, the pressure arms 22 exert downward pressure against the rear portion of the bottom I3 projecting rearwardly of the hinge trunnions I4. This downward pressure results in the yielding engagement of the lower edge of the wall I0 by the forward area of the bottom I3. At the same time, in the normal, unstressed state of the springs, the tangs I'I and guide portions 2I are under tension tending to move them toward the rear wall II, and this rearward pressure, applied to the bottom I3 through the pressure arms 22 and projections 20, maintains the hinge trunnions I4 snugly in engagement with the rear extremities of the sockets I5.

The nose portions 23 of the springs are normally spaced from the front wall I0 suilciently to permit the lowermost cigarette C tolrest upon the bottom I3. At the same time, the spacing of the nose portions 23 from the wall I0 is suiiiciently restricted so that the adjacent cigarette (C') will not be permitted to move down alongside the lowermost cigarette C, but will be held at a level substantially above the level of' the nose portions 23. As a result, when the bottom I3 is depressed, the nose portions 23 will be moved forwardly toward the wall I0, into engagement with the cigarette C', clamping the same against the forward wall I9, before the lowermost cigarette C has been permitted to leave the hopper. The engagement of the cigarette C takes place when the cigarette C has dropped slightly (a distance which may be approximately one-third its diameter), and this engagement will arrest downward movement of the remaining cigarettes while the cigarette C moves on out of the hopper. When the bottom I3 has been suii'iciently depressed to permit the cigarette C to pass between the lower edge of the wall I6 and the ybottom I3, the cigarette C will roll into the receiver hooks 24 on the forward region of the bottom I3, This position of the bottom I3 is shown in dotted lines in Fig. 5, and, the forwardly projected position of the springs I6 is also shown in dotted lines. The position of the cigarette C' when it has dropped down slightly and has been engaged by the no se portions 23 is likewise shown in dotted lines.

When the bottom I3 is permitted to return to its closed position (shown in full lines in Fig. 5), the springs I6 will move away from the front wall I0 and will then permit the cigarette C to drop down upon the bottom I 3 and to assume the position of the cigarette C, the other cigarettes moving on down to fill the space above this lowermost cigarette. In thus moving downwardly, the stacked cigarettes in the hopper will be guided downwardly and forwardly by the guide portions 2I of the springs I6.

It may be noted that as the springs I6 are flexed with the lowering of the bottom I3, that the guide portions 2I will push the stacked cigarettes forwardly and upwardly, and that as the springs return to their normal positions the stacked cigarettes will be permitted to move downwardly into a widening space between the guide portions 2l and the front wall I0. This alternate shoving of the cigarettes upwardly and forwardly and permitting them to drop back downwardly and rearwardly produces an agitation which maintains the downward movement of the cigarettes and avoids congestion.

It will thus be seen that the spring members I6 have the multiple function of returning the bottom to its closed position, maintaining the bottom in assembled relation with the hopper, forming parting stops for permitting the lowermost cigarette to issue from the hopper while obstructing the escape of the remaining cigarettes, providing guide means for guiding the cigarettes downwardly and forwardly toward the discharge aperture, and agitating the cigarettes to prevent congestion.

The sockets I5 are formed in portions of the side walls I2 which project below the plane of the lower edge of the front wall I0. The rear wall II is projected down to the same extent, largely for the purpose of appearance.

The sockets I9 are formed in ribs 25 (integral with the rear wall II) which form guide ways for the cigarettes above the guide Portions 2l of the springs I6 and assure the feeding of the cigarettes into engagement with the guide portions 2I. At the upper end of the hopper is a flange 26 that is adapted to be received in a cover or cap 21,

The receiver hooks 24 are spaced apart to permit the fingers to be inserted between them in order to readily grasp the central region of a cigarette supported between them. Each of the receiver hooks terminates in a handle 28 which extends forwardly from the trough member 24 to permit an operator to depress the bottom Without blocking the movement of a cigarette into the hooks 24,

Formed integrally with the front wall Il) are a pair of match book sockets 29. The forward flanges 30 of the sockets 29, which project toward cach other, are inclined downwardly and toward. the wall II to correspond to the shape of a book of matches such as that shown at 3| in Fig. 2. The side extremities of the book 3| are received in the sockets 29, and the matches 32 project above the socket 29 so that they may easily be grasped. The abrasive surface 33 of the book 3| is exposed between the sockets 30 to permit striking a match 32.

The rear wall II is formed with an integral socket 34, The socket 34 is defined between a pair of ways 35, L-shaped in cross section, spaced by a slot 36. The socket is adapted to receive the shank 31 of a stand 38, or the butt portions 39 of a pair of suction cups 40. The cups 40 are employed where it is desired to attach the dispenser to a vertical surface 4| such as the dash of an automobile. They are attached by sliding the buttons 39 upwardly into the slot 36 on the lower end thereof. The slot 36 also serves to accommodate a web member 42 on the upright 43 of the stand 38. The shank portion 31 forms a continuation of the upright 43 but is somewhat V narrower so as to form shoulders 44 against which the lower ends of the ways 35 are supported.

The side anges 45 of the bottom I3 have their ends shaped to form stops 46 that are adapted to enter slots 41 in the rear wall Il and to engage against the upper extremities of the slots 41 to limit downward movement of the bottom I3 at the position shown in dotted lines.

I claim as my invention:

1. In a cigarette dispenser, a hopper having forward, rear and side walls; a movable bottom hinged to said hopper upon an axis intermediate the forward and rear extremities of said bottom whereby said bottom may assume a normally closed position from which the forward portion of said bottom may be moved downwardly while the rear portion thereof moves upwardly, with the downward movement of said forward portion providing an aperture through which a cigarette may issue, and a spring having an upper end anchored to said hopper, an intermediate portion projecting forwardly to provide a cigarette support and terminating in a nose normally spaced' from said forward wall to form a pass through which the lowermost cigarette in the hopper may issue, and a lower portion extending downwardly and rearwardly from said nose engaged under compression against said bottom rearwardly of said hinge axis, whereby normally to yieldingly hold said bottom in said closed position, and whereby depression of said bottom will operate to move said lower spring portion upwardly and said nose forwardly to close said pass suiiiciently to arrest the descent of the remaining cigarettes while permitting the lowermost cigarette to pass through said aperture.

2. A cigarette dispenser as defined in claim 1, wherein said bottom has means projecting therefrom forwardly of said forward wall and upwardly to receive a cigarette issuing from the hopper, said receiving means terminating in forwardly projecting handle means adapted to be engaged by the finger of an operator without having said finger project over said receiving means.

3. A cigarette dispenser as defined in claim 1, wherein said intermediate spring portion is inclined downwardly and forwardly'so as to guide the cigarettes to said aperture.

4. A cigarette dispenser as defined in claim 1, wherein said bottom has a pair of trunnions projecting from the respective sides thereof and wherein said side walls have bayonet recesses with the terminal portions thereof extending rearwardly and downwardly, said lower spring portion exerting downward and rearward pressure against said rear bottom portion so as to hold said trunnions in said terminal portions of said recesses.

5. In a cigarette dispenser, a hopper having a forward, rear and side walls and a movable bottom hinged to said side walls on an axis intermediate the forward and rear extremities of said bottom, whereby said bottom may assume a normally closed position with its forward portion in engagement with the lower edge of said forward wall and may be depressed from said position to a position spaced from said lower edge to define an aperture through which a cigarette may issue, and a spring having an upper end anchored to one of said walls, an intermediate portion projecting forwardly and having a nose normally spaced from said forward wall to form a pass through which the lowermost cigarette in the hopper may issue and having a lower portion inclined downwardly and rearwardly from said nose and engaged under compression against said bottom rearwardly of said hinge axis whereby normally to yieldingly hold said bottom in said closed position, and whereby depression of said bottom will operate to move said lower spring portion upwardly so as to move said nose forwardly to close said pass sufliciently to arrest the descent of the remaining cigarettes while permitting said bottom cigarette to pass through said aperture.

6. In a cigarette dispenser, a hopper having forward, rear and side walls; a movable bottom member hinged to said side walls on an axis intermediate the forward and rear extremities of said bottom member whereby said bottom member may tilt about said axis with the forward portion thereof moving downwardly and the rear portion thereof moving upwardly; means to restrain tilting of said bottom member in the opposite direction beyond said normally closed position; and a spring having an upper end an-4 chored to said rear wall, a downwardly and forwardly inclined intermediate cigarette supporting portion terminating in a nose normally spaced from said forward wall just sufficiently to form a pass through which the lowermost cigarette in the hopper may issue, and having a lower portion inclined downwardly and rearwardly from said nose and engaged under compression against said bottom member rearwardly of said hinge axis so as to exert downward pressure thereagainst for yieldingly holding said bottom member in said normally closed position, and whereby depression of said bottom member against the force of said spring operates to simultaneously provide an aperture between said forward portion of the bottom member and said forward wall through which the lowermost cigarette may issue and to move said lower spring portion upwardly and said nose forwardly to close said pass sufficiently to arrest the descent of the remaining cigarettes.

. ARTHUR F. MIELKE.

REFREN CES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PA'I'ENTS Number Name Date 591,215 Ganon Oct. 5, 1897 1,054,707 Mertens Mar. 4, 1913 1,606,553 Wright Nov. 9, 1926 1,717,320 Victor June 11, 1929 1,919,535 Siqveland July 25, 1933 

